Conveyer control device



J. V. SMITH CONVEYER' CONTROL DEVICE Dec. 16, 1952 4 Shets-Sheet 1 F Fig.1

Filed Nov. 20, 1950 m w m W Dec. 16, 1952 v, sMlTH 2 ,621,775

CONVEYER CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1950 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec; 16, 1952 SMITH 2,621,775

CONVEYER CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 2,0,v 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 16, 1952 sMlTH 2,621,775

CONVEYER CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 CONVEYER CONTROL DEVICE James Vincent Smith, 'Great Barr, Birmingham, England, assignor to New Conveyor Company Limited; Birmingham, England Application November 20, 1950, Serial No. 196,664 In Great Britain November 21, 1949 This invention relates comprising an overhead track on which are suspended carriers for tiltable trays whereby goods can be transferred from one position to another, I

the carriers being moved along the track by an endless chain or the like. I

It is already known to provide on the carriers, devices for causing the trays to discharge their loads at predeterminedpositions along the track, these devices consisting in part of a plunger which is operable by contact with ramps on the track and which serves to release a catch associated with the tray.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a conveyor apparatus for which the invention is required.

Fi ure 2 is a sectional side elevation.

Figure 3, a sectional front elevation of the mechanism embodying the invention, and

Figures 4 and 5 aresimilar fragmentary sectional side views showing the mechanism in different positions.

Referring to Figure 1, the overhead track is represented by a. From this is suspended a'carto conveyors of the kind 5 Claims. (01. 198-38) tion of the spring 10) for intermittently actuatin V the ratchet wheel and chain h. J

Also on the spindle k is secured another arm 12 having at its outer end a roller to which can engage a recessed shoulder :c on a catch lever g which is .pivotally attached to a lever z and is loaded by a spring 3 in the manner hereinafter described. The lever z is pivoted at 4 and at one end remote from the pivot has attached to it the end of a Bowden cable 5, through which a tilting movement can be transmitted to the tray c.

For actuating the catch lever i, there is provided a mechanism comprising an arm 6 secured at one end to a spindle l, and connected by alink 8 to an arm 9 pivoted at l0 and provided with a roller I I in contact with one side of the catch lever 1. The arm 9 is loaded by the abovementioned spring 3 which acts on the catch lever y through this arm and the roller ll. Also on the arm 6, there is pivoted at l2 an arm l3 loaded by a spring [4 and provided with a roller l5 in contact with the other side of the catch lever y, the angular rier b for a tiltable tray 0. The carrieris mov- I able along the track by a chain d. ,Control of the tray is effected by a mechanism contained in the box e mounted on the carrier, which mechanism is fully illustrated by Figures 2 and 3.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5, the bone is divided internally by a vertical partition f (Figure 3) toform two compartments. In one of the compartments are provided'a number ofsprock'ets 9 on which is mounted an endless chain h, this being disposed in'a zig-zag-manner. The spindlei of one of the sprockets extends through the partition into the other compartment, and on the part of the spindle in this compartment is secured a ratchet wheel :1. Also on another spindle is in this compartment is secured an actuating lever m adapted to receive motion from a plunger n. Also to this spindle is secured an arm 0 which is loaded by a spring 1), and an arm q which carries a pawl r loaded by a spring s. The pawl r is adapted to plunger n (which at its lower end rests on the lever m) is arranged a lever t (Figure 1) mounted on the carrier 1) and adapted by encountering each in turn of a series of ramps u on the conveyor, to depress the plunger and so impart move-- 11161113 5 179 the lever jmand arm q (against the acmovement of the arm I3 relatively to the arm 6,. being limited inone direction by a stop l6.

To the spindle l is secured an arm [8 located in the compartment containing the chain, and on tion of the spring 1) loading the arm 0. This causes the roller w on the arm o to engage the shoulders: on the catch levery, and impart an upward movement to this lever, causing the lever z to be moved for exerting a pull on the cable 5 and so causing the tray to be tilted in a known manner which forms no part of the present invention. At the same time the pawl r imparts movement to the ratchet wheel :1 and chain h, and so carries the tappet I? clear of the arm [8. The spring 3, by its action of the arm 9 then pulls the catch lever 11 to one side, and rocks theassociated'arms 6, l8 to the inoperative position in which the shoulder a: on the catch. lever is out of the path of the roller w: v on the arm 1), and the "arm 18 can again be actuated when again encountered by the tappet (or the next tappet) on the chain.

Subsequent a-ctuations of the plunger n by the ramps on the conveyor have no efiect on the catch lever, until the tappet (or the next tappet) comes into action, but each of the successive movements of the plunger causes the pawl r to impart a step-by-step movement to the chain through the ratchet wheel.

The length of the chain and the amount of movement given to it by each actuation of the plunger is such that the chain receives one complete sequence of movementsiwhile the associated carrier makes one complete circuit of the track on which it is mounted. Consequently when the chain is provided with a single tappet, this effects a single operation of the tray in each circuit, and the position of the tappet 11 on the chain determines the position at which the tray is caused to discharge its load. This position can be varied by means of an external handle I9 on the spindle i which carries the ratchet wheel a. Alternately when two or more tappets are attached to the chain the latter is actuated at a proportionately slower rate, it being required that the associated tray shall be tilted for the discharge of its load only once during its movement from and to the loading position. Should the circuit have more than one loading position, then the chain is actuated at an appropriate rate so that the load is discharged between any two loading positions.

The mode of action of the control device is as follows:

Starting at a loading position, the chain It is pre-set to bring its tappet into such a position that it will become operative when the tray carrier reaches the desired discharge position. The arm [8 now rests against a stop I8 and occupies a position (shown in Figure 5) in the path of the tappet I1. Also the catch lever y occupies its inoperative position in which the shoulder x thereon is out of the path of the roller w on the arm 0. Further, the lever m is held by the action of the spring p on the arm in its uppermost position in which thepawl r is clear of the ratchet wheel 7. During the movement of the carrier along the track the plunger will be actuated successively by each of the ramps which it encounters, and will consequently impart corresponding movements through the pawl and ratchet mechanism to the chain, thereby causing the tappet to be progressively advanced to its operative position. When the station before I! encounters the arm [8 and moves the latter into the position shown in Figure 2. This causes the catch levery to be moved through the medium of the arms 6, l3 and the roller to a position in which the shoulder :1: lies in the path of the roller 10 as shown in Figure 2. The next movementof the lever m by the plunger n serves a dual purpose. It. not only causes the pawl r to actuate the ratchet wheel 7, but also causes the catch lever 'J to be, lifted for actuating the lever z, and thereby causing the tray to be tilted for discharging its load. The various parts now occupy the positions shown in Figure 4. When the lever m is released, the various parts automatically revert to the positions shown in Figure 5 under the action of the springs p, 3, and the tray is returned byaspring or counterweight.

Io-prevent undesired movementof the chain a check lever loaded by a spring Zl may be arranged to engage with any of the sprockets g carrying the chain, and to enable the traytilting mechanism to be put out of action, a hand-operable stop may be provided in association with the catch-actuating lever. In the example shown, the stop comprises an arm 22 which is operable by an external handle 23 (Figure 3). The arm 22 is engageable with an arm 24 secured at one end to the arm It. When the arm 22 is moved from its out-of-service position (shown in full lines in Figures 4 and 5) to its service position (shown in chain-dotted lines) in which it lies in contact with a roller 25 on the arm 24, it obstructs the normal movements of the arms 24, I3, when the arm is is actuated by the chain tappet, and so prevents the catch lever y from being moved to its operative position. Any convenient means, such as a plunger 26 on the handle 23 and engageable with either of a pair of recesses in the side of the box e, may be provided for securing the handle in either of its two positions.

By this invention the automatic discharge of a loaded tray at any predetermined position on the track can be effected in a very convenient and reliable manner. The invention is not, however, restricted to the example described, as subordinate details of the mechanism may be varied to suit different requirements.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A control device for a tiltable tray suspended by a carrier from a conveyor track having a plurality of ramps thereon, comprising the combination of an endless chain provided with at least one tappet, sprockets supporting the chain, means for imparting intermittent movements to the chain, means for tilting the tray, a plunger operable by the ramps on the track, a lever operable by the plunger for actuating the first mentioned means, and a mechanism operable by the chain tappet for engaging the second mentioned means with the said lever.

2. A control device for a tiltable tray suspended from a conveyor track having a plurality of ramps thereon, comprising the combination of an endless chain provided with at least one tappet, sprockets supporting the chain, a ratchet wheel in operative connection with one of the sprockets. a plunger operable by the ramps on the conveyor track, a lever operable by the plunger, a pawl operable by the lever for actuating the ratchet wheel, a lever for tilting the tray, and mechanism movable by the chain tappet into engagement with the plunger-operable lever for transmitting movement therefrom to the tray-tilting lever.

3. A control device as claimed in claim 2, in which the mechanism for transmitting movement from the plunger-operable lever to the tray-tilting lever, comprises a pair of pivotal arms, one of which is operable by the chain-tappet, a link interconnecting the arms, a catch lever pivotally attached to the tray-tilting lever and adapted to receive movement from the plunger-operable lever, an abutment on one of the said arms arranged to act on one side of the catch lever, a second abutment arranged to act on the other side of the catch lever, a spring loaded arm pivotally mounted on the other of the first mentioned arms and carrying the second abutment, 'and'a spring acting on the arm carrying the first mentioned abutment 4. A control device as'claimed inclaim 2, hav- 5 ing in combination with the mechanism for trans- REFERENCES CITED mitting movement from the plunger'opemble The following references are of record in the lever to the tray-tilting lever, manually operable me of this patent: means for rendering the said mechanism ineffective. 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5. A control device as claimed in claim 2, and Number Name Date having in combination with one of the chain 1297 680 Hanak Mar 18 1919 slrzrocklliets, manually operable means for actuating 1300331 ih A 1919 t ec ain. fl

JAMES VINCENT SMITH. 10 

